Epistatia
Epistatia, also known as the Usurper Huntress, is the eldest childe of the infamous magus Goratrix and the first outside of Council of Seven to be Embraced. Biography Epistatia herself had only blurred memories of her life before she dedicated herself to the Hermetic arts. The most plausible of them are that she was the daughter of a Roman Senator or an oracle in a pagan temple. She knew that she has been with House Tremere since its inception, and this was usually enough for her. Epistatia's main focus had always been the study of souls, especially the domination of weaker ones once they were displaced from their bodies. Although she originally practiced only on criminals and outlaws, these persons often showcased strong wills, so Epistatia switched to the domination of peasants and similar rural folk. She continued this practice during a stay in Vienna, where Etrius noticed her experiments in 990 CE. He banished her from his chantry, so Epistatia went to the one person she knew that hated Etrius with unequal passion: Goratrix. In Ceoris, Epistatia was persuaded to support him during the Schism War, rewarding her efforts against House Díedne with peasants. When Etrius proved that magick was on a decline, Epistatia believed that her studies could be the key to ensure the continued immortality of the mages. During this period, the being known as "Stars Above" contacted her in 1007, ensuring in notes of her that were later used as references by Tremere and Etrius in their hunt for Salubri methuselahs. In 1011, she had a fallout with Paul Cordwood, as she accused his apprentice Vincius of sabotaging her experiments. When said apprentice was found strangled in his bed, Goratrix covered her tracks, in exchange for her aid in his own experiments. During on such quest into Astral Space, Goratrix was contacted by entities he referred to as the "Root of All" and the "Stars Above", who would later inspire him when he brewed the potion from Tzimisce blood (or so Epistatia claims, Goratrix himself stated that the potion was his work alone). Goratrix Embraced Epistatia nearly immediately after his own transformation. Since she was the only other person that knew of the potion, he had the choice to either make her undead or kill her, and to him, she was more valuable alive. When the Tzimisce started their attacks against Ceoris, Epistatia volunteered to lead the counter-efforts, capturing humans from their territories to act as blood vessels for the Tremere. During the first Massassa War, Epistatia vanished and was presumed to have been slain by the magi. In truth, her amnesia had reached a degree that she forgot her existence as a member of House Tremere. In the following centuries, she wandered across the world, assuming small-time jobs in order to feed without attracting unwanted attention. In 1932, she settled in Baltimore, opening a convenience store and feeding only on the occasional homeless or shoplifter. In her dreams, she still sees images of the Carpathian mountains. Character Sheet References * Category:Tremere Category:Sixth Generation vampires Category:Vampire: The Dark Ages characters